Agora
Posts in Economy
Credit origination and transmission: Are Greek banks part of the problem or the solution?
The twin challenge in Greece’s financial sector remains the liquidity position of banks and their lending capacity to the real economy. Any assumption of a quick return to normality and business as usual are premature.
Contributor: Jens Bastian
Categories: Economy (344), Greece (522)
When will Greek banks operate as credit institutions again?
Despite the successful recapitalisation process and continued restructuring of the Greek banking sector, the credit transmission mechanism towards the real economy remains severely impaired. Two key reasons account for this severe deficit.
Contributor: Jens Bastian
Categories: Europe (292), Economy (344), Greece (522)
Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras held an informal dinner with some of his party’s MPs. He reportedly told them that if Greece would be able to get through a tough summer, it would “take off” in September. We are now nearing the end of October and there has been no departure for the skies. Instead, Samaras is bracing for impact.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Europe (292), Politics (409), Economy (344), Greece (522)
It remains a mystery
The Wall Street Journal leaked this week the minutes of an International Monetary Fund board meeting in May, 2010, just a few days before Greece signed its first bailout. The extracts reveal that there was serious concern among about a third of the country representatives, who raised serious objections about the Greek programme.
Contributor: Yiannis Mouzakis
Categories: Europe (292), Economy (344), Greece (522)
In hindsight it would have been nicer
The Greek bailout was primarily designed to protect the rest of the eurozone from contagion in its banking sector. It's basically as simple as that. International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde admitted as much in an interview on Monday. “The choice was made to make sure the Europeans built their firewall first before anything very serious was done about the Greek debt,” Lagarde told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.
Contributor: Yiannis Mouzakis
Categories: Europe (292), Economy (344), Greece (522)